My apartment is a small one-bedroom apartment in a block of ten built in the 1960s. It is double-brick and north-facing and overlooks a park. My apartment is on ground floor, all ground floor apartments have external sun blinds.
Over 24 years I have gradually improved its sustainably while making only necessary changes and preserving the 1960s features. I believe in a low consumption life-style and have not spent money changing things that worked. When I first moved in (2001), I did a big clean up, painting, replaced synthetic shag pile carpet with wool and installed full length curtains. Apartment had pelmets. I later lined curtains with wool felt.
In 2014 I got permission to put 1.5kW solar panels on shared roof. These have now been replaced by 2kW as we (Owners Corporation) were successful in getting SolarVic and Council grants last year - 8/10 apartments are now connected to solar. Very challenging process, happy to talk about how we achieved it.
I am investigating battery. I installed reverse cycle AC for heating and cooling with Vic government subsidy some years ago. In 2024 I borrowed a thermal imaging camera from library to find gaps and sealed them up. I also had double-glazing installed to main windows in 2024 - had to retrofit to preserve external appearance as it is an apartment block.
I’m currently in process of changing gas cooking to electric stove and induction cooktop - also a complex process in older apartments - and hope to disconnect my apartment from gas this year. Hot water is shared gas system and I have not been able to persuade OC to change to heat pump though I’ve tried (hope to eventually do so).
Shared garden was sparse when I came, over the years with neighbours we have extended and improved, part Mediterranean/permaculture style with fruit trees, herbs and hardy plants like lavender and irises, more recently indigenous plants like Correa, prostrate saltbush, rock daises, dusty miller, dichondra.
